Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Podcast with Liz Jackson (DEP Website)

Youth Fishing Challenge June 10, 2017

New Jersey's "Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs" Program provides a great opportunity to get kids involved in positive recreational activities. Growing up in a big city, my parents saw value in having me spend my summers outdoors enjoying nature. These experiences afforded me the chance to discover that there is more to the world and my role in it than what the concrete jungle has to offer. Likewise, the goal of this program is to introduce youth to the fun and excitement of fishing, and to engage them in meaningful life skills, so that they also can imagine unlimited possibilities for themselves. Liz Jackson, HOFNOD Coordinator

HOFNOD FAQs

Fishing is an activity that can be started at any age by any person regardless of gender, physical size or athletic ability. Fishing can also be enjoyed individually or with family and friends. A great way to introduce youth to fishing is through the "Hooked On Fishing - Not On Drugs" (HOFNOD) Program.

"Hooked On Fishing - Not On Drugs" is a unique, nationally recognized program created by the Future Fisherman Foundation. In 2012, Governor Christie signed legislation establishing the statewide implementation of the HOFNOD program. The legislation provided initial funding through an appropriation of $200,000 from the state's Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund. (See below for the identical State Assembly and Senate bills.)

The goal of New Jersey's program is to encourage school-aged children to avoid tobacco, drug and alcohol usage by providing alternative activities that involve learning to fish, appreciating aquatic and environmental resources, and developing positive life skills. The program will provide students with access to extracurricular outlets that utilize New Jersey’s incredible outdoor recreational assets.

The NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife wants to partner with schools, community- and faith-based youth organizations willing to provide on-going and sustained engagement in HOFNOD activities throughout the year. The "Hooked On Fishing - Not On Drugs" program is flexible enough to be offered in different ways, such as: a weekly enrichment activity in summer youth programs an on-going educational physical education activity in after school settings integrated into grades 4-12 school curricula as a year-round supplemental activity of community-based youth organizations (e.g. Youth Corps, Boys/Girls Clubs and faith-based entities) HOFNOD is an excellent way for young people to participate in constructive recreation and to develop a positive sense of self-worth. The program helps: nurture self-esteem and confidence develop higher order critical thinking and problem-solving skills reveal alternate activities for young people instead of the pitfalls of drug and alcohol use foster opportunities and build skills to explore freshwater & marine careers

During the program, students learn:

• freshwater and marine ecosystems
• proper outdoor ethics and being a good steward of their local environment
• respect for themselves, others and the world around them
• how, when and where to fish
• life skills like preparing and cooking their catch

Participants in the March 2016 Team Leader Training held at the Princeton Blairstown Center, Hardwick, NJ. Click to enlarge

Adult-led lessons provide students with hands-on, real life experience and incorporate peer teaching and mentoring in the process. Guest experts can be used to teach supplemental sessions like fly tying and casting, spearfishing, introduction to SCUBA diving, kayaking and boating safety. Available funding through the HOFNOD program may be used to offset the cost of staff training & materials, fishing and program gear, and transportation for youth fishing trips. The core message of the "Hooked On Fishing - Not On Drugs" program is that you don't need to use tobacco, alcohol or drugs to have fun! It's the type of program that not only will help reduce drug and alcohol use in youth, but will also bring families closer together by giving them an inexpensive outdoor recreation activity they can all participate in. For more information call 908-637-4125 ext. 122 or e-mail hofnod@dep.nj.gov. HOFNOD Group Program Registration Form (pdf, 180kb) HOFNOD Youth Registration and Photo Release Agreement (pdf, 100kb)

HOFNOD Teams

Want to find a local HOFNOD Team? Locate a group near you from the list below:

ATLANTIC Atlantic County Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Coalition 4805 Nawakwa Blvd. Mays Landing, NJ 08330 Adam Erskine - aerskine@acsssd.net Cell: 609-675-1385 Sheriff's Dept.: 609-909-7200 Office: 609-625-5590 x1136 BURLINGTON Burl-Cam HOFNOD 60 Huntington Drive Southampton, NJ 08088 Floyd C Reynolds III - floyd@nssofnj.com 856-810-0260 Jeff Brown - jgbrown49@comcast.net 609-410-1873 CAMDEN HOFNOD Gloucester Township H.O.F.N.O.D.G.T. Hazel & Kendrick Aves. Sicklerville, NJ Bob Johnston - hofnodgt@yahoo.com 856-491.5366 www.hofnodgt.com CUMBERLAND Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs - Cumberland County P.O. Box 181 Heislerville, NJ 08324 Joe Haase - Joseph.Haase@yahoo.com Cell/text: 856-332-4834 www.hofnodcc.org Millville Police Department, PAL School Resource Officer / Traffic Safety Unit 18 S. High St. PO 609 Millville, NJ 08332 Officer Richard Kott #104 - Richard.kott@pd.millvillenj.gov Cell: 856-498-3309 Work: 856-825-7010 x7623 Vineland Police Department / Juvenile Unit 111 North 6th Street Vineland, NJ 08360 Officer Dion Colvin #1830 - dcolvin@vinelandcity.org Work: 856-691-4111 x4372 Cell: 856-362-0305 ESSEX ASPIRA, Inc. of New Jersey 390 Broad Street, 3rd Floor Newark, NJ 07104 Elena Larranaga - elarranaga.aspiranj@gmail.com 973-484-7554 x215 www.aspira.org Quitman Street Community School 21 Quitman Street Newark, NJ 07103 Jessica Allen 973-733-6947 www.nps.k12.nj.us/qtm/ HUNTERDON Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission 37 Hoffman's Crossing Road Califon, New Jersey 07830 Dennis R. Balodis - DBalodis@HunterdonESC.org Work: 908-439-4280 x4510 Cell: 908-963-9595 www.HunterdonESC.org HUDSON Marist A+ Summer Camp 1241 Kennedy Boulevard Bayonne, NJ 07002 Tiffany McQueary 201-437-4545 www.marist.org/admissions/marist-summer-camp MIDDLESEX B3 After School Program, Program Director 21st Community Learning Centers RARITAN BAY AREA YMCA 357 New Brunswick Avenue Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 James C. Castillo, M.S. - jcastillo@rbaymca.org 732-442-3632 x 6700 www.rbaymca.org Scarlet KIDS Camp Douglass Psychology Child Study Center Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey 26 Nichol Avenue, Room 27 New Brunswick, NJ 08901-2882 Jennifer Manuola, Director - jenne@rci.rutgers.edu 848-932-8881 www.douglasschildcare.rutgers.edu MONMOUTH Jersey Devil Kids Camp Jersey Devil Sportfishing Captain Brian Rice - brian@jerseydevilsportfishing.com 732-996-6372 www.jerseydevilcharters.com OCEAN Lacey Township High School Youth Fishing Club 73 Haines Street Lanoka Harbor, NJ 08734 Jeremy L. Muermann - jmuermann@laceyschools.org Terrance Stuart - tstuart@laceyschools.org 609-971-2020 www.edline.net/pages/Lacey_High Reel Fun Fishing Boating Education And Rescue (BEAR) Mike & Debbie Bennett - bear@boatingeducationandrescue.org 732-492-4009 www.boatingeducationandrescue.com PASSAIC Compete For Life (21st Century Community Learning Centers) New Jersey Community Development Corporation 61-127 Preakness Ave - Room 105A Paterson, NJ 07522 Lynn Yakimik - lyakimik@paterson.k12.nj.us 973-945-6466 SUSSEX Byram Intermediate School 3 Highland Ave. Andover, NJ 07821 Betty Saar, Special Educator 973-271-4658 www.byramschools.org High Point Regional High School High Point Outdoor Recreation Program HOFNOD 299 Pidgeon Hill Road Sussex, NJ 07461 Ed Blevins - surfkaster@optonline.net 973-875-3101 Sussex County Charter School for Technology 385 North Church Road Sparta, NJ 07871 Suzanne Kopycienski, Health/Physical Education Teacher - skopycienski@sussexcharter.org 973-383-3250 www.sussexcharter.org Sussex County HOFNOD 4H 35 Newton Avenue Branchville, NJ 07826 Natalie Burger - info@hiddenpasturesalpacas.com 973-948-6800 Rory Halpin - RoryH@advancere.com 732-713-2567 UNION City of Plainfield - Division of Parks & Recreation 510 Watchung Avenue Plainfield, New Jersey 07060 Veronica Taylor, Superintendent of Parks & Recreation - veronica.taylor@plainfieldnj.gov 908-753-3096 www.plainfieldnj.gov/cms.aspx?page_id=214&page_name=Recreation Team Linden Linden, NJ Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling - rcosbyhurling@linden-nj.org Councilwoman, Ward 5 908-718-7933 WARREN YMCA Camp Mason 23 Birch Ridge Road Hardwick, NJ 07825 Keith VanDerzee, CEO 908-362-8217 www.campmason.org Click photos to enlarge